Machine for distributing and orienting bullets



Oct. 23, 1945. M. D. MAYBERRY 7,

. I MACHINE FOII DISTRIBUTING AND ORIENTING BULLETS Filed Oct. 14, 1942 INVENTOR Patented Oct. 23, 1945 lYI-ACHINE non DISTRIBUTINGAND. Q IENQI ULLETQ Murl D, Meyberry, Golden, (3010., assignor to Remington Arms Gompany Ines Bridgeport;

Conn, a'oorporation of Delaware Application. October 14, 1942 Serial No. 4 62,Q4l;

7 Claims.

..hi. ven o e ate nsen ra a mach ne for: orientin and dist ibut n r ic es nd, pan tieula y o appara us or di t bu i metallic articlesuch. b let o a tri e s nt the transiern tes. o a llettse ins ma hn t sah obi oto o he present invention o r idew rnn ov d means' o apidl is r bu in d ri n ineartio es n -o an ral t of a rtur s.- A urthe o jec s o. p de, mean r u nia oa1l dist bu iheb l et to a to e ine la e. hiohis cons r c d: n arran to e r the bullets, heavyend down, into a bullet transfer Br efly bu t t in a hi es f h pe now ntomm n use'b the adin ma arms mmunit onmanu o r-ina compani this co n ry are. designed to; simultaneously setand, secure a plurality of bullets: into the mouths off loaded cartridge cases. Prior to being set by thebullet settingmachine, the bullets must first be loosely assembled in proximity to the mouths of the cases and supportedin this relationship in the machine;

Suitable bullet supporting plates, known in the art as transfer plates, are used for initially assembling the bullets and cases. Each transfer plate comprises an apertured plate having an auxiliary;plate arranged both to temporarily support the bullets in the-apertures of the plate and torelease thebullets sothatthey may-drop down throughtheapertures into the mouths of the cases The present methods of filling the apertures of-thetransfer plates usually requiretwo or more machine attendants whose. duties are first to manually insert the bullets into the apertures of supplementary bullet supporting blocks andthen to transfer thebullets from these supplementary blocks into the transfer plates.

The bullets may also be inserted into the apertures. ofthe transfer, plates by supporting the transfer plates on suitable agitatingmeans which continuously agitate the plates, in whichinstance the bullets aredelivered intothe apertures of the plates by a supplementary. bullet orrientin plate supported. on the transfer plates, the. ullets being spread by hand over the surface of the orienting plate. The agitation of the orienting plate supplements the-dexterity of the attendants in distributing the bullets over the plate and entering the bullets, heavy end down, into the transfer plates.

Although these methods. are. in'extensive use, they are inherently slow-and requ rea relatively largenuinber of attendants in order to supply a sufficient number.- of: filledi transiornletesta he bulletsetting, mac-nine to: ke p t n; con nuo op ation. Th p ese tinven ion: dis lose he: proved means, forflll ne hll eti trans e ates her objects, features an ad antases: Q the ntion w ll be set io thin-d tai n hefollow: ins descript on whichtillustrates oneemhodh eht of the invent-ion; but it, wil betun ers oodthet odifications 1 the of: may. he made w thqutdepartinefromthe-soope otthe nron ion defined inthe app d, cla ms-v h h drawing Fi 1 is a plan iewot; he bu let; di r b tin device.

Fig-1 2 1s an end elevation rpartially; insection by uitableenin meansts ohesa weld joint eo ner Athusformedmay be rein orce -1hr sl i l s '3' el ed othe outside hriaoe oi e; ne s n e sho n,

'lihera e hown i designedo, he us dinnonj n n w th a ul su porting m ansor r n er p1a eherne te es r b avihsatih b tures for receiving a. plurality oi; bullets, the r e ine ma e n noughand de. nou o. subs a tia y c rc ms iho the, rans p ate in t e m nne wn. w l nde tood, owe e h t he shan ra $i e;i h ym may be altered to compare with thesize of the bullet nsfe n atortobe se her with! A b ac et e s e edat. ts. o ter-end a ea inside corn r o e frame and ext nds; dia anally o nw dly ow rd h e ter her ot, as shown i ia 3, li thrn ke s bein iormed 1 f ny ui able, m t rial sushi a A. m uhdl s o out in len thsoi substan ia ne t Supported within; th bul t dis but n frame by he our b a kets, a bu t d s ibut n or de i rin snv aoes whi h: c pr ahollow sub? r ta tial r t ngula mid ha ing, a ase,- r skirt. po ion. i5 and. o r pwa d onrorsins triangular surfaces IS. The pyramid is suspended within the four walls of the frame by the brackets M, the inner ends of which are secured or welded to the four corners of the pyramid adjacent thev upper edge I! of the skirt portion l5. This upper edge I! coincides with the lower edges of the triangular inclined surfaces [6 and is adapted to be spaced from the adjacent walls ll of the frame so as to form a restricted aperture l8 substantiallycircumscribing the base of the pyramid. To this end the dimensions of the base of the pyramid are somewhat less than the dimensions of the frame and in the present embodiment are such that the restricted aperture I8 is somewhat greater in width than the diameter of a .30 caliber bullet. Hence, substantially all bullets passing down through the aperture I 8 will be delivered sideways, that is to say, the long axis of the bullets being substantially parallel to the lower edges-ll of the inclined surfaces and the adjacent walls of the frame.

The height of the pyramid is such that its apex will extend slightly above the rim of the frame 10 while the lower edges ll of the inclined surfaces are suitably positioned below the upper rim of the frame, so that the height of the wall adjacent the restricted aperture I8 is substantially equal to the diameterof a bullet. Hence, regardless of how many bullets are deposited on the inclined surfaces, the excess bullets will spill over the rim of the wall I I so as to preserve a substantially single layer of bullets adjacent the restricted aperture l8.

Suitable means for supporting the distributor in operative position, see Fig. 3, comprise lugs H] which are secured to the Walls II of the frame adjacent the lower edge thereof and which project outwardly in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

Suitable bullet orienting 'means for receiving the bullets from the restricted aperture IB of the distributing means and orienting the bullets with their heavy ends down comprises a substantially rectangular plate 20 having a plurality of drilled apertures 2|. The diameter of each aperture is slightly greater than the diameter of a bullet and, in the plate shown, is substantially three eighths of an inch to loosely receive .30 caliber bullets. Each hole extends through the plate and is provided with a countersink 22 substantially nine sixteenths of an inch in diameter in the upper surface thereof. The dimensions of .the base of the plate are substantially equal to the inside dimensions of the frame In so that when the latter is placed over the plate, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the walls ll of the frame will circumscribe the edges of the plate 20. The thickness of the plate 20 is such that, when assembled in the distributing machine as shown in Fig, 3, its upper surface is adapted to lie in an inclined plane substantially parallel to the plane defined by the base of the pyramid and spaced therefrom a distance which is slightly greater than the diameter of a .30 caliber bullet and which in this instance is substantially inch.

By spacing the surface of the bullet orienting plate from the lower edge of the pyramid in the manner described, a single layer of bullets will be maintained on the surface of the plate.

The inclination of the surface of the orienting plate is such that bullets delivered from the restricted aperture 18 will roll or slide down the surface of the plate and automatically orient themselves so as to enter the drilled holes of the plate heavy end down. By providing each aperture or drilled hole 2| with a suitable countersink 22, any bullet which slides over the near edge of the countersink, nose first, will, due to the fact that the center of gravity of the bullet is adjacent the rear or base end of the bullet and hence outside of the near edge of the countersink, continue on across the countersink until its nose is supported on the far edge and the heel has cleared the near. edge thereof. At this time,however, the center of gravity of the bullet will have moved inside the near edge of the countersink, and, consequently, the bullet will drop into the drilled hole heavy end first. Any bullet approaching a hole base end first will invariably drop down into the hole with its pointed endup.

In Fig. -3, the orienting plate is shown assembled in superposed relation on the bullet transfer plate 25. The latter has a plurality of apertures 26 corresponding in number to the number of apertures 2| in the orienting plate 20 and drilled through theplate 25. The holes 26 are indicated as being of a diameter substantially equal to the maximum outside diameter of the bullets which for .30 caliber bullets is substantially five sixteenths of an inch. To enable the bullets to enter the holes 26 easily, the shoulders of each hole are nicely rounded as shown clearly in Fig. 5. In their assembled relationship, the apertures 21 of the bullet orienting plate'2il and the apertures 26 of the transfer plate are substantially in axial alignment so that bullets which fall into the apertures of the orienting plate-2U will be entered freely into the apertures of the transfer plate. The bullets are retained in these apertures by a suitable imperforated retaining plate 21 which is adapted to be held against the bottom of the transfer plate until such time as the bullets are to be released from the apertures thereof. 4

In Fig. 3 the assembled bullet orienting plate 2%], transfer plate 25 and retaining plate 21 are shown mounted upon a suitable agitating device 30 adapted to agitate the assembly so as to automatically enter the bullets into the bullet transfer plate.

The agitating device may comprise a substantially rectangular table or platform having suitable brackets 3| and a lug 32 projecting downwardly from the bottom thereof, the brackets 3| being constructed and arranged to slide on a pair of spaced parallel bars 33 and to be reciprocated thereon by suitable agitating means (not shown) connected to the lug 32. The top of the table 30 has an inclined surface 34 adjacent the four corners of which uprights or angle brackets 35 are fixedly secured. The brackets 35, see Fig. 4, constitute suitable means for supporting the assembled plates on the inclined surface 34 of the table, the plates being adapted to fit loosely between the brackets 35. y

The bullet distributor is supported above the assembled plates by the lugs [9 which project laterally from the sides H of the distributor frame. These lugs are arranged to engage on the top edge of the brackets 35 as indicated in Fig. 3 and to permit the lower edges of the walls ll of the frame to fit closely'between the. adjacent surfaces of the brackets and assembled plates, thus sufi'icing to keep all the parts in proper alignment.

The operation of the machine will be clear by reference to Fig. 3. The bullets to be entered into the transfer plate 25 are first scoopedup and pouredonto the back inclined surfacelfi of the distributor [0. The agitator is then started astime apertures 21, the bullets are thus enter-stump the "plate "with their pointed ends up.

Thereafter the frame Ill and orienting plate may be removed from the transfer plate 25, which, with its retaining plate 21 is removed from the agitator and transferred to the bullet setting machine.

By providing the distributor with both front and back inclined surfaces It, the distributor may be placed indiscriminately over the assembled plates at least one of the surfaces I6 forming a back inclined surface.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for orienting and distributing articles, the combination with a table and means for agitating said table; of article supporting means having apertures mounted on said table and agitated thereby; article orienting means mounted on said supporting means, said orienting means comprising an inclined surface having apertures in axial alignment with the apertures of said supporting means; brackets on said table; a frame supported on said brackets, said frame having substantially vertical walls interposed between said brackets and said article supporting and orienting means; a substantially rectangular pyramid having downwardly inclined surfaces suspended immediately above the inclined surface of the orienting means; and brackets extending inwardly from said frame and secured to the four corners of said pyramid for supporting the latter in spaced relation to the walls of the frame, at least one of the spaces between the lower edges of the inclined surfaces of the pyramid and the adjacent walls of the frame constituting a restricted aperture for delivering articles onto the upper end of the inclined surface of said orienting means, said articles being compelled to slide down said inclined surface into the apertures thereof, said apertures having countersinks adapted to orient and deliver the articles to the apertures of the supporting means due to the agitation of the article supporting and orienting means.

2. In a machine for orienting and distributing bullets, the combination with an inclined table and means for agitating said table; of a bullet transfer plate supported on said inclined table and agitated thereby; a bullet orienting plate mounted on said transfer plate, said orienting plate comprising a block having apertures and countersinks in the upper surface thereof concentric with the apertures of said bullet transfer plate for orienting and delivering the bullets into said transfer plate; means for delivering bullets onto the inclined surface of said orienting plate comprising a frame supported by said inclined table having walls circumscribing said transfer plate and orienting plate; and a substantially rectangular pyramid suspended by said frame in spaced parallel relation above the inclined surface of said orienting plate, the surfaces of said pyramid being inclined downwardly and spaced at their lower edges from the adjacent walls of the frame, the spaces thus formed constituting restricted apertures for delivering the '3, an ap aratus for distributing art-mes cempii'sing a member having apertures therein, aperture being arranged o support article and "in segregated relat onship to pure; articles in the a ert res trs'aia member; a plate sap -ported on "said member having article cheating "apertures, each aperture being in aligirine'n't'with an aperture of said '"mmber; and feed means supported above said plate constructed and arranged to deliver articles in a substantially single layer onto said plate.

4. An apparatus for distributing articles comprising a member having apertures therein, each aperture being arranged to support an article and in segregated relationship to other articles in the apertures of said member; a plate supported on said member having article orienting apertures, each aperture being in alignment with an aperture of said member; feed means supported above said plate constructed and arranged to deliver articles in a substantially single layer onto said plate; and means to agitate said member, said plate and said article feeding means.

5. An apparatus for distributing articles comprising a member having apertures therein, each aperture being arranged to support an article and in segregated relationship to other articles in the apertures of said member; a plate supported on said member having article orienting apertures, each aperture being in alignment with an aperture of said member; and article feeding means comprising a substantially rectangular pyramid suspended above said plate having downwardly inclined substantially planar surfaces and a frame circumscribing said member and said plate, said frame comprising substantially vertical walls and brackets projecting inwardly therefrom and secured to the four corners of said pyramid to support the lower edge of each planar surface a predetermined distance from the adjacent wall of said frame to provide a restricted aperture to deliver a single layer of articles onto said plate.

6. An apparatus for distributing articles comprising a member having apertures therein, each aperture being arranged to support an article and in segregated relationship to other articles in the apertures of said member; a plate supported on said member having article orienting apertures, each aperture being in alignment with an aperture of said member; article feeding means comprising a substantially rectangular pyramid suspended above said plate having downwardly inclined substantially planar surfaces and a frame circumscribing said member and said plate, said frame comprising substantially vertical walls and brackets projecting inwardly therefrom and secured to the four corners of said pyramid to support the lower edge of each planar surface a predetermined distance from the adjacent wall of said frame to provide a restricted aperture to deliver a single layer of articles onto said plate; and means to agitate said member, said plate and said frame to compel articles to slide down the planar surfaces of said pyramid through said restricted apertures and into the orienting apertures of said plate.

7. An apparatus for distributing articles comprising a member having apertures therein, each aperture being arranged to support an article and in segregated relationship to other articles in the apertures of said member; a plate supported on 'said member having article orienting apertures, each aperture being in alignment with an aperture of said member; article feeding means comprising a substantially rectangular pyramid suspended above said plate having downwardly inclined substantially planar surfaces and a frame circumscribing said member and said plate, said frame comprising substantially vertical walls and brackets projecting inwardly therefrom and secured to the four corners of said pyramid to support the lower edge 10 of each planar surface a predetermined distance from the adjacent wall of said frame to provide a restricted aperture to deliver a single layer of articles onto said plate; means to support said member, said plate and said frame comprising a table having an inclined planar surface; brackets on said table to hold said member on the inclined surface thereof; and means to agitate said table.

MURL D. MAYBERRY. 

